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Mythimna albipuncta
This record describes Mythimna albipuncta (species). Recorded family: Noctuidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 30 to 35 mm. A rather round, pure white mark on forewing diagnostic. In Europe the larvae are known to feed on various grasses. A former migrant to the British Isles, but has colonized in the last two decades. Once a very rare migrant to VC55 the species is now considered an increasingly common resident.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera
- Family
- Noctuidae
- Genus
- Mythimna
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
In Europe the larvae are known to feed on various grasses.
Additional species information
Recorded status
A former migrant to the British Isles, but has colonized in the last two decades.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Mythimna albipuncta. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Lepidoptera includes approximately 180,000 described species of butterflies and moths. Moths outnumber butterflies roughly 10:1. The monarch butterfly's eastern population has declined by more than 80% since the mid-1990s, and the western population by over 95% since the 1980s. The IUCN lists the migratory monarch as Vulnerable.
Ecological role of the group
Butterflies and moths are essential indicators of ecosystem health. As caterpillars, they are a primary food source for birds - a single nest of blue tit chicks requires ~10,000 caterpillars. Adult moths pollinate many night-blooming plants.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Lepidoptera are critical pollinators. In Europe, grassland butterfly species have declined by almost 50% since the early 1990s. In the UK, three-quarters of butterflies are in decline. In the U.S., five butterfly species have gone extinct since 1950, with 29 listed as endangered.
Recorded sources for this group: IUCN Red List, Xerces Society, USFWS, PNAS, WWF. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
